This Monday's back-to-work puzzle features a JUNKDRAWER(30D Location for the ends of the answers to the four starred clues) -- you know, those PIGPENS(24D *Sties) into which we PLUNK(36A Put [down], as money) something in case we might ever need it? FLORIDAKEYS(18A *Popular Sunshine State vacation);TICKERTAPE(3D *Material for an old-fashioned parade); and THIRDSTRING(61A *Like players below the B team) are also thrown into this miscellaneous mess -- however, that's really not enough junk, so I'm throwing in a YOYO (12D Toy that might go "around the world") and an UZI(14A Israeli submachine gun) too.

O.K., that drawer's full, I'll just have to leave the rest of it out FORALL(15A Last words of the Pledge of Allegiance) to see and EFFUSE(4A Gush) over! MEDICOS (22A Docs);TAKEAIM(20A Prepare to shoot) and TARGET (26A Dartboard, for one);EFFACE(4D Wipe off) or get ERODED(Wore away).

Get ready to FOLIATE(5D Decorate with leaves) your DORSAL fin (48D) and LASHES (68A Mascara goes on them) to ENGAGE(21D Take on); not ODON(47A Take too much of, briefly), but SIMMER (52A Keep just below boil) and TASTE(26D One of the five senses)ACRID(51D Pungent) TRIX(60D Cereal whose ads feature a "silly rabbit") -- be SINCERE(64A Not deceitful),ATEASE(65A "Relax, soldier!"),ENCAMP(23A Stop for the night, as soldiers) -- I have IMAGES(50D Representations) of an IMMENSE(44D Really, really big)ADO(51A Brouhaha)!

The rest will just have to go in the round file, there's no more room!

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Today‘s acrostic contains a quotation from DORIS Kearns GOODWIN‘s “TEAM OF RIVALS“ -- “The story is told of Lincoln's first meeting with Mary at a festive party. CAPITVATED BY HER LIVELY MANNER, INTELLIGENT FACE, CLEAR BLUE EYES, AND DIMPLED SMILE, LINCOLN REPORTEDLY SAID, "I WANT TO DANCE WITH YOU IN THE WORST WAY." AND, MARY LAUGHINGLY TOLD HER COUSIN LATER that night, "HE CERTAINLY DID."

The New York Times Crossword Puzzle solution above is by the author of this blog and does not guarantee accuracy. If you find errors or omissions, you are more than welcome to make note of same in the Comments section of this post -- any corrections found necessary will be executed promptly upon verification.

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AEIOU (17D Fivesome seen in order in the answer to each starred clue) is a great entry/clue for nine entries in this wonderful Sunday crossword puzzle: GAMEMISCONDUCT(23A *Ice hockey penalty);FACETIOUS(34A "Tongue-in-cheek);HALFSERIOUSLY(40A *Somewhat in jest);GATHERINGCLOUDS (68A "Sign of coming danger);WANDERINGSOUL(94A *Drifter);TAKEITOUT (102A *What "dele" means);WATERINGTROUGH (119A *Barnyard fixture);TRADEDISCOUNT(13D *Professional courtesy in pricing); and LATENIGHTHOUR(58D *Time during a graveyard shift). I was reminded of my school days when we learned the vowels by reciting "A, E, I, O, U, and sometimesY"!

Note: The electronic puzzle differs from the newsprint. AEIOU is clued as "Fivesome seen in order in the answer to each italicized clue"; and the clues are subsequently italicized without a "star".

This is a nice easy-going Sunday solve -- a very friendly and near-perfect crossword puzzle that left me with a very satisfied feeling accompanied by amazement at how brilliantly word upon word fell into place. This crossword is without a single clumsy entry or far-fetched clue, making it akin to the perfect fits of a jig-saw puzzle. So many crosswords are being Googlized these days with ridiculous lazy entries, that to encounter one without a single odd-ball abbreviation, variation, permutation, et cetera, is a genuine relief and pleasure!

YOU(99D Crossword solver, presumably); however, becomes someone else after its entered! No matter -- from EDEN (1A Starting point) to ESSO (129A Bygone U.S. gas brand), this puzzle is so tight and together with so many great entries that it’s a little classic! ...and SNOOK (8D Derisive gesture)?! -- never knew it had a name!

The New York Times Crossword Puzzle solution above is by the author of this blog and does not guarantee accuracy. If you find errors or omissions, you are more than welcome to make note of same in the Comments section of this post -- any corrections found necessary will be executed promptly upon verification.

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Three long entries, THATSRIDICULOUS (17A "Nonsense!"); SENSITIVENATURE (36A Delicacy); and HEYDONTLOOKATME(55A "I'm not volunteering!") set a tone for this SASSY(14D Flip) and evasively-clued Saturday puzzle. ASSOONAS (1A When) I uncovered MATAHARI(15A She was executed in 1917) occupying the upper left of the puzzle with a prone SALMINEO (62A "Tonka" star, 1958) in the lower left under DRILLERS(60A Boring people) and in dead center, DIVAS(29D 45-Down performers), flashing a "V" as the central letter of this crossword, I was INADILEMMA(40A Stuck with no way out), and WARNED(61A On notice) that my ROLE(50A Lead, e.g.) as solver may be labeled RIP(52A Engraved message?: Abbr.) -- but to be overwhelmed?, why PSHAW (44D 17-Across, quaintly)!

BLEEPS(9A Slip covers?) -- I wrote for an hour without saving and lost it all!

The New York Times Crossword Puzzle solution above is by the author of this blog and does not guarantee accuracy. If you find errors or omissions, you are more than welcome to make note of same in the Comments section of this post -- any corrections found necessary will be executed promptly upon verification.

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DEADASADOORNAIL (62A Completely gone) lies near the bottom of this lifeless Friday crossword as a perfect description of its surroundings, which together with LEAVESA BADTASTE (1A Doesn't sit well), the leading entry atop this gravestone of words, one that certainly many will do BYTRIALANDERROR(17A One way to solve problems), desperately moaning for an ESCAPEMECHANISM (57A Daydreaming, e.g.) oh, say perhaps ARTAPPRECIATION (16A Class in which various schools are discussed), or in desperation, poring through ASSESSMENTROLLS(63A Records of interest to real estate agents), instead of staring blankly at six 15-square lines with nary an easy across or down entry much less a straight-forward clue to exhume this fossil of a puzzle.

I know puzzles are supposed to puzzle, but gravestone rubbings have never appealed to me as a recreational activity. The clues today are akin to eroded granite refusing to dislodge the identity of the deceased.

Digging deeply unearths 1D Distillation location is a LAB; 5D Large accounts?,EPICS; 6D Place for jets,SPA; 8D Bit of moonshine, BEAM; 9D Adolescent outburst, ACNE; 12D Go downhill, ATROPHY; 22D Occasional clashers, EGOS; 28D Rather informal?,KINDA; 29D Help set up chairs for?,ENDOW;34D Take many courses, FEAST; 48D It may be wrapped in a bun, TRESS; 59D Now in,HOT.

Shoveling across, including the vagueness concocted for the six 15-letter entries, are such definitions as 31A Retiree’s coverage?,SHEET;36A Didn’t paw,FONDLED;40A Balloon attachment, GONDOLA; 24A City on the Natchez Trace, TUPELO; 41A Object in a Monet painting,IRIS; 47A Least spotted,RAREST; and 52A Something needed for your sake?,RICE.

People in the puzzle: ARLO (7D 1968 Folk album);TINAFEY(33A “30 Rock” creator);FRIEDA(42D Curly-haired “Peanuts” character);RAMSES(43D 20th-dynasty ruler);ERICAS(44D Lois Lane player Durance and others); and the recently discovered and quickly over-used OMARR(50D Astrologer with the autobiography “Answer in the Sky”).

IMAM(53D) and IMIN (51A Hacker’s cry of success) lead the pack of happenstance fill which includes such dead wood as MLS, SIL, PAS, ESL, MMES, AWES, ECON, CEDE, FOES, TORT, and the ever-present OMEN, with a smattering of foreignese, FRERE(42A Member of la famille immediate) and SALLE(30D French study, e.g.) which ENROOT(15D Firmly establish) this dinosaur into solid rock for future archaeologists with nothing better to do!

The New York Times Crossword Puzzle solution above is by the author of this blog and does not guarantee accuracy. If you find errors or omissions, you are more than welcome to make note of same in the Comments section of this post -- any corrections found necessary will be executed promptly upon verification.

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Pressing THESHIFTKEY(61A What is being held in 17-, 32-, 38- and 45-Across) is a clue for PARENTHESES (17A 90);POUNDSIGN(32A 3);EXCLAMATIONMARK(38A 1); and AMPERSAND(45A 7) in this Thursday thrashing. The reference to the typewriter/computer keyboard (with its quirky QWERTY), might present some puzzlement beyond the usual to those who don't use a typewriter or a computer, along with DOTEDU(1A End of many college addresses);ONEGIG(12D Capacity of many a flash drive, informally); and strangely, HELP(18D Information desk offering).

Crossword puzzles sometimes bring about some interesting information, which for me today was the entry PELOTA (35A Jai alai ball). According to one manufacturer's specifications, it seems the Pelota is the most lethal ball of any sport. The Pelota is 3/4 the size of a baseball, harder than a golf ball, and has been clocked at speeds in excess of 180 m.p.h. The Guiness Book of Records calls it the world's fastest ball. The Pelota is constructed of hand wound Brazilian rubber with two hand-sown goatskin covers. Pelotas cost over $150 each and must be re-covered after 15 minutes of play. No machine has ever been developed to construct a pelota.

This is an interesting-enough puzzle for a Thursday, but I'll MOVEON (13D Not dawdle) as tomorrow is another day -- TGIF(51A Weary worker's cry)!

The New York Times Crossword Puzzle solution above is by the author of this blog and does not guarantee accuracy. If you find errors or omissions, you are more than welcome to make note of same in the Comments section of this post -- any corrections found necessary will be executed promptly upon verification.

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Also chiming in to the tune of show business are Cole Porter's"Well Did YouEVAH?" (57A);CHI (39A The Bears on the scoreboard) ("Chicago", the musical?); KPAX(8D 2001 film set in a mental institution);HAL(11D Anthropomorphic cinema computer);OLIN (12D Lena of "Chocolat");MOES(13D Place to which Bart Simpson makes prank calls);DAS(45D Some "Law & Order" figs.);NERO(58D "Quo Vadis" role); ClassCLOWN (59A);JFK(65D 1991 film directed by 1-Across);TRA(23A Song syllable);AVALON (17A Arthurian paradise) (also a 1996 film); PHIL(43A TV Dr. of note); and ODEA (60D Old music halls).

The New York Times Crossword Puzzle solution above is by the author of this blog and does not guarantee accuracy. If you find errors or omissions, you are more than welcome to make note of same in the Comments section of this post -- any corrections found necessary will be executed promptly upon verification.

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MEATWAGON (24A …that’s an ambulance, in slang) -- whatever…this is usually an ambulance from a morgue, the individual being transported is deceased and therefore “meat” -- there are other definitions of "meat wagon", none of them too savory; however, the original "meat wagon" seems to have been parked long time ago.

TURNIPTRUCK (37A …that a rube might fall off) -- brings to mind the Joads in “The Grapes of Wrath”.It is commonly thought of as a Metaphorical vehicle bringing rubes to the metropolis. One who falls off the truck is hopelessly naive. “Fall off a turnip truck” is not exactly praise, but then it’s not condemnation, more observation of unfortunate circumstances.

APPLECART(48A …that may be upset) -- a phrase used to define creating a difficulty. If you upset the apple cart, you cause trouble and upset people. It’s not as dangerous as rocking the boat, but upsetting the apple cart would mean someone’s going be picking up a lot of scattered apples, as an apple cart is an orchard wagon filled with loose apples.

GRAVYTRAIN (59A …that’s a source of easy money) -- not only easy to do but with great reward, an easy task. In politics, "gravy train" refers to a depraved gorging on luxuries, since someone else foots the bill. It seems like the expression got a little off track, as a gravy train relates to gravy boat, a dinner table container used to hold gravy.

This is a very active crossword puzzle, not only for the mobility aspects of the inter-related entries mentioned above, but there is skating, dancing, golfing, loading and unloading, football, soccer, ice hockey, bull-fighting, baseball, prisoner escape, face-making, starting and stopping, and general competition -- SKATE(21A Play ice hockey);ASTAIRE(41A He danced in “Silk Stockings”);PGA (Org. for drivers?), think golf; PIER(52A Place to load and unload);AWOL (16A One who may be caught off base?);KNEE(19A Place for a footballer’s pad);JABBED(1D Poked);APB(6D Alert for a fleeing prisoner, in brief);SETAT(9D Go after);MAKEAFACE (10D Stick out one’s tongue, maybe);OLE (13D Corrida cheer);MARIS (24A Home run hero of ‘61);ARENAS(47D Soccer venues);BIGTEN(20A Indiana and Ohio are in it);OSU(26D Home of the Cowboys: Abbr.);NET(27D New Jersey cager);PER(29D Part of r.p.m.);RUBELBOWS(32D Mingle [with]);START(34D Crank up);TARP (37D Rain delay roll-out); and VIE(60D Compete).

The New York Times Crossword Puzzle solution above is by the author of this blog and does not guarantee accuracy. If you find errors or omissions, you are more than welcome to make note of same in the Comments section of this post -- any corrections found necessary will be executed promptly upon verification.

If you subscribe to home delivery of The New York Times you are eligible to access the daily crossword via The New York Times - Times Reader, without additional charge, as part of your home delivery subscription.